As we go to press on our sixth annual Jewish Link Wine Guide, the satisfaction we feel at our accomplishment is subdued by the stress of a new barrage of sirens in Israel, as war and a larger regional war has pitted the U.S. and Israel, once again, against Iran and its proxies.

While this is not a new state of affairs for our friends and colleagues in Israel, it comes with a heightened sense of awareness of the precarity of our lives and the importance of supporting our Jewish friends and neighbors who risk their lives for us each day in the holy land.

Specifically regarding Israeli winemaking in wartime, I am reminded of a conversation I had during the war after October 7, when an agronomist explained that the Iron Dome considers agricultural fields to be “open spaces” and therefore missiles can make direct hits there with less concern regarding loss of life. However, when this has happened, consider this as a vineyard in Israel, subject to the laws of Orlah, a cycle that allows grapes to only be harvested once the grapes have been in the ground for four years. When a big hole opens up in the middle of a field, some vines have to be replanted and are once again subject to a new Orlah timeline.While some grapes may be harvested, others must be left on the vine. 

It’s a cogent example that life is never as simple as it may appear, and that every missile and every attack on Israel has deep and sometimes years-long consequences. While we love, value and support all our kosher winemakers worldwide, especially those in Spain, Italy, France, Portugal, the U.S. and South Africa, and recognize all that they do for our industry—we must also support and pray for our friends who take these devastating direct hits. We pray for their safety and the safety of everyone in Israel.

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Am Yisrael Chai!

Elizabeth Kratz